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Thread: Info on thread locker, torque specs

  1. #1

    Info on thread locker, torque specs

    Disregard, I missed the best practices thread at the top of the forum. Please delete this thread moderator.

    My agency is wading into the RDS program cautiously. As part of that we are running a trial program for firearms instructors for approximately a year. We hosted Aaron Cowan recently and learned a lot. The one question I asked and Aaron gave his thoughts was if there was a go-to location for finding what works best in this area in terms of what torque specs work best, what thread locker etc. We had our best guy, in terms of mechanical ability, build all of our guns for this class. They are a mix of Glock 17/19's Gen 5 Mos, with CHPWs plates torqued to their spec's. We had three plates come loose. Aaron had a toque spec of 18inch lbs, while our researched said 12-13inch lbs for holding the plates down. There could be lots of reasons these came loose and I am not finding fault with any person or company. The original toque wrench didn't seem very exact and maybe gave a false reading. Possibly the thread locker wasn't dry at application but my guy believes it was. We shot a lot in a short amount of time. Aaron was impressed with the very little downtime, even during a crappy day of weather. So maybe a few guns got heated up and the locker came loose? I'm really looking for people who have high round counts and have come up with the best practices to ensure, the best you can, the units stay locked on the gun. This may have been covered other places and if so I apologize.

  2. #2
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    If Ok to ask, I’d like to know what y’all used for threadlocker?

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by RJ View Post
    If Ok to ask, I’d like to know what y’all used for threadlocker?
    Vibratite VC-3. 3 of 7 came loose. We shot about 500 rounds per day.

  4. #4
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cpd2110 View Post
    Vibratite VC-3. 3 of 7 came loose. We shot about 500 rounds per day.
    Thanks a bunch.

  5. #5
    I have used vibratight as included with 3rd party optics plates and torqued to spec according to mfgr white sheet (calibrated wiha torque driver) on three separate installs and all three came loose. I then went back to good ol blue loctite and torqued to German spec (i.e. goodentight) and no problems after about 3500 rounds/4 months.

  6. #6
    Site Supporter farscott's Avatar
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    After reviewing the Vibra-Tite VC-3 data sheet, there is no way I would use the product. The data sheet has no discussion on torque strength per ISO 10964, no data on strength, and vague instructions on amounts to be used. When it comes to thread lockers, my default is Henkel (maker of Loctite) where selections can be made based on screw and substrate material, fastener size, and application.

  7. #7
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    Interesting on the recommendations - I’ve been using blue loctite and hand tight and even Burris red dots with little problem so maybe it was luck the whole time. A few thousand rounds (and quite a few hours of dry fire) through mounting on two different pistols though - I’m not a PD or a custom shop.
    When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk. -Tuco
    Today is victory over yourself of yesterday... -Miyamoto Musashi

  8. #8
    Site Supporter stomridertx's Avatar
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    I think there was another thread also where blue Loctite was emerging as the winner here. I've never used Vibratite, but blue Loctite 243 has never failed me on scope mounts or my MOS plate mounted RDS. I'm about to go to the CHPWS plate. One thing I did do that may or may not be a necessity is replace the screws that came with the MOS plate package with McMaster-Carr Torx screws. So much is depending on the strength of the fasteners themselves that I felt better knowing exactly where they were sourced and what the specs are. I do torque to spec with a FAT wrench and I believe I used 15 inch lbs.
    Last edited by stomridertx; 03-31-2021 at 12:38 PM.

  9. #9
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stomridertx View Post
    I think there was another thread also where blue Loctite was emerging as the winner here. I've never used Vibratite, but blue Loctite 242 has never failed me on scope mounts or my MOS plate mounted RDS. I'm about to go to the CHPWS plate. One thing I did do that may or may not be a necessity is replace the screws that came with the MOS plate package with McMaster-Carr Torx screws. So much is depending on the strength of the fasteners themselves that I felt better knowing exactly where they were sourced and what the specs are. I do torque to spec with a FAT wrench and I believe I used 15 inch lbs.
    We have been around this bush before:

    https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ght=vibra-tite

  10. #10
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by farscott View Post
    After reviewing the Vibra-Tite VC-3 data sheet, there is no way I would use the product. The data sheet has no discussion on torque strength per ISO 10964, no data on strength, and vague instructions on amounts to be used. When it comes to thread lockers, my default is Henkel (maker of Loctite) where selections can be made based on screw and substrate material, fastener size, and application.
    @farscott, I'd be interested in your thoughts. I contacted Henkel directly and asked for guidance on small screw applications such as pistol optics. I never got a reply. Using their decision tree, it seems that for fasteners below 1/4" (6mm), they only recommend purple/low strength. I've never heard of anyone using purple, just blue.

    Any thoughts on purple vs. blue?

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    Based on threads like this one, and the one I quoted, I just have been using blue/medium strength; no issues so far. So for me, it's kind of an academic question, but I am curious what you think.

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